Whisper Fabric Pt. 1
Quiet running fabric for your conveyor belt
Quiet running fabric for your conveyor belt
Have you ever run on a treadmill and noticed that the belt you are running on was noisy? Or perhaps you work in an industrial setting and the conveyor belts around you are too loud as they move product along the conveyor. This is caused by the bottom of the conveyor belt interacting with the slider bed and can be improved by the choice of fabric - particularly the weave pattern. Mol Belting Systems calls this a whisper weave. But what is a whisper weave?
The whisper weave, also known as a broken twill, is a 3x1 pattern. This means one piece of warp yarn will go under three weft yarns in an alternating pattern across the width. This design causes noise reduction as the yarn comes in contact with the running deck. Why?
In general, a 1x1 pattern, also known as a plain weave, is noisy because it is too rough. The belt continuously makes and loses contact with the slider bed as it is running. Picture passengers bouncing in a car on a bumpy stretch of highway. The 3x1 pattern in the running direction allows the belt to lay flatter on the conveyor and the increased surface area contact reduces the noise generated. However, the tradeoff is more friction, resulting in higher amp draw.
Going back to the example of belts in a factory or sorting facility, imagine the cumulative impact of hundreds of conveyors with belts running without a whisper fabric pattern. The whisper pattern is an important safety feature for reducing the overall volume and subsequent hearing loss.
Check back soon for a follow-up article that takes a closer look at how conveyance noise is generated and additional solutions that are used to remedy this noise. If you are experiencing a noisy conveyor or have additional questions about whisper or other fabric options, please contact moc.gnitleblom@selas to learn more.